


Of Coffee And Puns

by LilNeps



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M, puns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13007268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilNeps/pseuds/LilNeps
Summary: Coffee shop AU where Lotor is the rich kid of a successful CEO. When he goes into a coma and Lotor has to fill in, he needs to find a place to get some quiet while doing some work, and Acxa can redirect him to the perfect place for it.A place where a cute barista gets his attention.





	1. 1: Voltron

**Author's Note:**

> A little info on this AU!
> 
> I don't have much yet, but here is the little info I do have: Voltron here is the name of the coffee shop where Lance (and the others paladins) are working. It used to be a small coffee shop that the original paladins put their savings together to buy. As the coffee shop got more customers and grew more loved, Zarkon wanted them to do more with it - expand, increase prices, transform into something more. But the others just wanted something simple and cozy, since it was loved by their customers as it was, and they clashed and argued. Zarkon was kicked out of the deal and went on to basically open his own businesses and stuff and became rich and a CEO or whatever. When Alfor died (and the other paladins either died or weren't as involved anymore?) Zarkon wanted to get ahold of the shop, but [insert plot where the boys somehow get Voltron back to Allura and Zarkon is salty as a result].  
> Zarkon ends up in a coma after an accident, and the CEO position falls to his son - Lotor. 
> 
> That's about it for now, since this chapter shows how Lotor and Lance meet.  
> I don't know how frequently I'll update this, nor if I'll ever finish this, so please don't blame me if I don't, I'm sorry
> 
> This is a gift to a friend. Dylan, I hope you like it!

Lotor was, to be quite honest, tired.

He didn't show it, of course - ever since his father went in a coma, he had to take over his position for him, and that left him with no choices: he couldn't show weakness.

So he didn't. He was charming to everyone, he was smart, he was a quick thinker, he prepared for all occasions -- he restrained himself whenever he got the urge to tell someone off when he was pissed. That took a lot of restraint for sure, but he did it, and everyone around him was none the wiser.

But he was terribly tired as a result, without a doubt. He needed someplace to recharge, someplace where he could do some quiet work without running into another of his father's - or his, technically - associates.

He shot a text to Acxa, and it didn't take long to get an answer.

[ **Acxa:** There's a café on the other side of town if you don't mind the walk. I'll send you the directions. - 9:48am]

 

He stared at the shop sign with a curious interest. "Voltron," it read, and Lotor almost laughed then and there. What an interesting twist of fate, almost amusing, and he took a few moments to examine the place his father had been so adamant about getting. Was this a movie or something of the sort, he would think fate had led him for a specific reason.

But as he opened the door, an exquisite aroma of coffee reached him, and he decided fate could very well wait for its plans.

The place wasn't particularly big, but definitely cozy. There were splashes of different colours here and there, and somehow it looked more harmonious than messy. He could spot a server taking the orders of a couple seated near the front of the shop, with a green apron, and a cashier with a blue apron. There was probably a person or two in the kitchen too, although he wasn't able to see back - it didn't seem like many people either way. The other customers, though, were all happy as could be, like two people in the front were able to handle everything perfectly. It _was_ a quieter place than he was used to, but it was still quite interesting.

Satisfied, Lotor walked up to the cashier, who lit up and smiled at him as soon as he approached.

«New face! Welcome to Voltron, what can I get ya?» He leaned on the counter, looking at him like the most interesting thing that had happened to him all day. Perhaps new customers were rare, but he wondered if he'd be as friendly if he knew his father was the one that had been causing them trouble up until his hospitalization.

But then again the boy - Lance, he noted, stealing a glance at his name tag - seemed interested in a... different way. This could be fun.

«I'll have a pumpkin spice latte.» He smiled back, looking at how his eyes barely left him to get a cup.

«That's gonna be $4.50. Got a name to go with the good looks to give me?» He almost rolled his eyes at the lack of subtlety, but he kept himself together, busying himself in taking out the money instead.

«And where would be the fun in that?» He actually got a laugh out of him, but he couldn't see what he scribbled on the cup instead... a fair bargain, he'd say.

«You can get settled down at a table if you want and I'll bring out your drink as soon as it's done.» He took his payment and gave him one last smile before turning to get his order done.

The boy was definitely interesting to him, but the laptop in his messenger bag suddenly seemed heavier in the silence, and he had to accept he had work to do. Getting a free table wasn't particularly hard, the place wasn't really crowded, and as soon as he placed the computer on the table and opened it to see the work he should be getting done, he felt an instant headache coming. He set to work anyway.

He hadn't worked more than a couple minutes, probably looking like he might murder someone (and probably thinking about it), when Lance himself brought him his drink. He almost didn't acknowledge him, focused as he was, but his eye fell onto the cup as soon as he took ahold of it. 'Hot stuff'. That actually got a smirk out of him.

«Here you go.» He looked up at him in time to see him wink, before going back to his place at the till, but he definitely took his attention away from his screen. He'd consider coming back.

He took a sip, before noticing something written on the other side of the cup too. Curious, he turned it around.

"What do you call a sad coffee? A despresso!"

Lotor actually snorted.


	2. 2: Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if these are short chapters, I'm more used to shortfics than multichapter works, so this won't be something too long or particular. Hope you'll enjoy this anyway!

To say he went to the coffee shop every day wouldn't be accurate, but it'd be close enough to the truth.

He made a point to save a day in his week to get some work done there. It wasn't always the same day, his schedule wasn't fixed, but what mattered was that he got to see Lance more either way. And his coffee-based puns on his cup. He had to admit it was considerably easier to focus after a nice drink and a good laugh.

He had started to get familiarized with the other workers there, some more friendly than others. The one with a green apron was Pidge, and they were a clever person. (They once fixed his computer when he carelessly downloaded a file in an e-mail he thought was business related. He learned to not even open his computer before he got caffeine in himself.) There was a cook he saw at times working in the kitchen, yellow apron - his name eluded him still - and a guy he only ever caught at the end or the start of his shifts, plus someone wearing a frown with his red apron a lot of the time. Or, a lot of the time Lance was there, he noted.

And then there was Lance.

Ah, Lance.

He had been there quite a few times now and had observed him. He was friendly to about everyone, broke out a bad pickup line with a couple people, charmed most that walked in. But he never overstepped his boundaries, and seemed to like making others laugh, and, oh, yeah, Lotor caught him staring at him more than a few times.

« _Or,_ he's the one that caught _you_ staring. For God's sake, sir, have you listened to anything I've said so far?» With a huff, Acxa turned back a page in the notebook on her lap, and Lotor was forced to rip his eyes from Lance working to look at her.

He liked coming here alone, liked the privacy - everyone that could know him didn't exactly walk by these parts. But Acxa was the one to recommend the place to him, and ever since he mentioned his approval for the place she knew where to find him. Agreeing to meet her there was better than hoping for a day of relax and being hunted down instead.

«I've heard very well. You have my attention, don't underestimate me.» She rolled her eyes almost immediately, making him frown. He opened his mouth to say something, but he got cut off by a cup placed in front of him. He raised his eyes to be met with Lance's smile, and he immediately smiled back, unable to really do anything else when seeing his face.

«Pumpkin spice latte for you and a caramel macchiato for your lady. Enjoy!» He slightly bowed, more for theatrics than anything, but made to walk away almost immediately. Lotor's stomach flipped - he got too used to him lingering for a minute or so - and he tried to say something - anything - but couldn't find the words. Why couldn't he, and why did he even care-

«I'm not Lotor's lady, just his secretary.» Acxa kept her eyes fixed on Lotor as she casually raised her cup and sipped her drink, hiding her smile when she saw the look on both of their faces.

«Oh? A name, finally?» Lance's gaze was immediately on Lotor, whose face had flushed a moment in the embarrassment of getting caught without words. His eyes were sparkling, for more reasons than just his name he'd safely guess, and the warmth of his smile went directly to his heart. He had to take an actual moment to pull himself together, clearing his throat, before grabbing his cup.

«Guess the mystery has now worn off.» He took a casual sip, looking away, but he could feel his stare on him - as well as Acxa's, quietly amused by the spectacle.

«There's still plenty I'm gonna look forward to finding out about you. Maybe next time it'll be a number!» The boldness took him by surprise, and he looked back at him with a smile and a raised eyebrow, just in time to see a wink and his bright smile, on a slightly flushed face. He hesitated just a second, before turning and rushing back to his position, not giving him the time to reply.

«...what's that on the cup?» Lotor needed a moment to tear his eyes away from him again, the whole exchange seeming still surreal to him, but he followed her gaze to the side of Lotor's cup facing her. Realising what it must've been, he turned it eagerly.

"Why don't snakes drink coffee? It makes them viperactive!"

Lotor couldn't help but chuckle.

Maybe being distracted a bit wasn't too bad, Acxa thought - the soft smile on his face was something she hadn't seen before, and perhaps it was worth it.


End file.
